Family Values
by Jamie Love
Summary: AU! Prequel to Family Secrets. When Judith is blamed for fighting with the Cadet boys, she is sent to Military School. With a stern Sergent, strange bunkmates, and new obstacles, how will she ever survive the next six months? See chapter 14 of Family Secr
1. Muddy Wounds

A/N: Okay, I know I didn't say I'd write any companions to Family Secrets. But I decided to anyways. If you havent read Family Secrets yet, you might want to. It will explain a lot of thing that are going to happen. This is a year or two before Family Secrets, and it has a totally different plot. No poems though, sorry.

Judith hit the ground. Hard. The breath was knocked from her lungs. She was covered in mud and bruises, but this was just the beginning. They weren't done yet. It was Monday morning, and already she was on the ground. She groaned. Would this never end?

"Get up!" Snarled the voice of Cadet Relone.

Judith winced, pulling herself shakily to her feet, and was met by another fist. She fell back again to gleeful laughter from Relone and the other cadets.

"Come on, Root!" Sneered Relone. "Fight back!"

Judith didn't answer. She knew there wasn't any point. If she even tried to fight back, the other cadets would be on her in a heartbeat. Not that she would. Or could. She was a scrawny girl, and they were seven bulked-up LEP cadets. It didn't take a genius to work it out.

The bell rang. Relone bent over her, giving her a cruel smile. "Tell anyone about this and you're dead." He hissed. He had repeated this again and again, every time he and his six faithful cadets decided to pick on her. Then he delivered one final kick to her side, and he and the others disappeared inside the high school.

Judith lay on the hard ground, the magic healing her various cuts and bruises. She was sick of those stupid flyboys! Most were the sons of Majors and Lieutenants of the LEP. Expect, of course, for Allen Relone. His father was Chairman of the LEP council. Cadet Relone claimed that his father would get him out of any trouble he was in. Something Judith had never cared to test.

"Alright, Judy?"

Judith was lifted onto her feet by her best and only friend, T.J. T.J.'s real name was Trouble Jackson Kelp Jr., but he hated the name. He insisted that it was far too gung-ho, and had resolved to change it to "Hunter" at his manhood ceremony.

T.J. looked her up and down, shaking his head. "Honestly, Judy. You've got to tell someone about these morons. I could talk to my dad for you. He could-"

"No!" Judith cried. "T.J., you promised!"

He sighed. "I know I did. But…Judy! These guys are just going to keep bullying you if you don't do something." He paused. "My dad's Commander, Jude. He can help."

Judith shook her head. "No, he cant. Chairman Relone's his superior."

T.J. snorted. "You don't know the chairman, Judy. Dad told me he's really fair. He'd never let his son get away with this. If he knew." He added scathingly.

Judith sighed. "I don't know…"

"Gods above!" T.J. pointed a finger at her. "You're a _Root_, Judy!"

Judith was taken aback. "What's that got to do with it?"

T.J. froze. He grinned nervously. "Er…I mean, your dad was tough, wasn't he? If he hadn't been a criminal, he'd probably be commander instead of my dad." He paused, then glanced at his moonometer. "D'Arvit! We're late! Come on!" He grabbed her arm and pulled her into the school.

They raced down the hallway, to their first period class; History. T.J. opened the door, and they slipped in quietly. Or they would have, if Judith hadn't slipped on the mud covering her shoes and fallen to the floor. She groaned. She was such a klutz!

The teacher, Professor Redwood, looked up sharply, giving them both a glowering look as T.J. helped her to her feet. "Root! Kelp! So nice of you to drop by. Detention for both of you. Now, take a seat."

Judith started towards her desk, but Professor Redwood stopped her.

"Root!"

She winced, turning to face him. "Yessir?"

"Why are you covered in mud?"

Judith thought about telling him the truth for a moment. Then her eyes met those of Allen Relone. "I…fell, Sir." She mumbled, lamely.

Professor Redwood gave her an agitated look. "Fell? You clumsy girl! Come here!"

Judith stepped forward glumly, and the Professor sprayed her up and down with a small spray bottle. The liquid dissolved the mud immediately, leaving her relatively dry. To many sniggers from the class, she slumped into her seat next to T.J., blushing furiously. She glanced up, and T.J. gave her a sympathetic smile.

"Don't worry about it." He muttered out of the corner of his mouth. "It's better than walking around covered in mud all day."

She shrugged, nodding.

He gave her a wink. "Cheer up! After our detention, we can visit my dad at the LEP. We can see about getting you an internship."

Judith smiled slightly. She was failing Science, and T.J. had promised he'd ask about making her an intern in Ops. It may not pay…at all. But anything was better then repeating a grade. Even facing Relone and the other cadets.

A/N: Okay, so what'd you think? Worth continuing? Not worth a second of my time? Let me know! As soon as I get three reviews, I'll start writing the next chapter. So review!


	2. Fright and Fight

A/N: I know I said I'd wait for three reviews, but I was bored and decided to write this. Hope you like it! Enjoy!

Once they had served their detention, Judith and T.J. left the school, heading for Police Plaza. "You know, Judy," Scolded T.J., in his best voice of authority. "If you would just stand up to those guys, we wouldn't have _had_ detention."

"Yes," muttered Judith. "If I had stood up to them, I'd be in the Hospital right about now." She let out a sound of annoyance. "Oh, I cant stand that idiot Relone! Thinks he owns the city, just because his father's Chairman! I wish he'd just shove his head in active plasma!"

T.J. looked at her skeptically for a moment. Then a sly grin flashed across his face.

"What?"

"Well," T.J. sniggered. "I was just thinking…"

Judith blinked. "About _what_?"

"Well…" another snigger. "What if you end up…_marrying_ Relone someday?"

Judith froze, staring at T.J. for a moment in shock. Then she shoved him hard in the chest. Though, of course, this did not have the affect she would have hoped. T.J. had spent most of his childhood being trained to become a LEP officer by his father. This meant that when Judith tried to push him to the ground, he was hardly knocked back a step. Causing her to fall flat on her face for the umpteenth time that day.

T.J. laughed. "_Judy Relone_. That's just got a sort of ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Oh shut up and give me a hand." Judith grumbled.

T.J., still chuckling, helped her to her feet, and they began walking again. They walked in silence for several minutes, until T.J. spoke again. "Hey…Jude?"

She looked up at him. "Yeah?"

He grimaced. "Well…Are you _sure_ you want an internship in Ops?"

She frowned. "Of course I do! I'll get science credit. And anyways, I'll be close to you, wont I?"

He nodded. "Yeah, that's just the thing…Relone and his gang are cadets too, remember?"

Judith groaned. She had already known this. Since they were still in High School, T.J., Relone, and the other cadets were little more than interns. They had started working at the LEP early, guaranteeing themselves a place at the LEP academy. Though they probably would have gotten in anyways.

"I know." She sighed. "But I'll have to risk it. Besides, you'll be there to protect me, wont you?"

He grinned. "You know it." He gave her a tight hug that squeezed the air from her lungs. "This is going to be great, Jude! I've already talked to my Dad. He said he'd give Mr. Foaly your file. You'll be an intern at Ops in a matter of days!" (1)

"_That_ in Ops?" Snarled a voice. "Not likely!"

They both whipped around, and T.J. released her. Relone and his Cadet gang had immerged from somewhere while they had been talking. T.J. instinctively stepped in front of Judith, glaring at Relone.

Relone snorted. "You don't honestly think you can beat us, do you, Kelp?" He sneered. "Why don't you just walk away, and pretend you didn't see us?"

T.J. didn't answer. His eyes were darting back and forth among the Cadets, looking for a way out. There wasn't one. "Why don't you just leave her alone," He growled finally, his eyes moving back to Relone. "What's she ever done?"

Relone laughed cruelly, and the others followed suit. "You know, Kelp, for the son of a Commander you really are stupid. Don't you know what her father did? The old traitor!"

T.J. frowned. "That's still no reason to beat her up. Didn't your father teach you to be a gentle-fairy?" He paused, then smirked. "But, of course he didn't! You're father's never home, is he?"

Relone's cheeks flushed red. No one was laughing anymore. "You shut your mouth, Kelp!" He snarled.

T.J. grinned. This wasn't in his nature, Judith knew. T.J. never found another creature's distress entertaining. But Relone had caused her so much pain that she felt a feeling of vindictive pleasure at the look on his face.

"Tell me, Relone." He taunted. "Is it like not having a father at all? Or do you kid yourself that he actually cares about you?"

Relone was positively shaking with rage. "Shut up, Kelp! I'm warning you!"

T.J. sniggered. "What? You don't honestly think he cares about you? If he did, he'd actually stick around more, wouldn't he? Do you think it's because he's busy? Or do you know it's because he doesn't want to see your ugly face?"

With a roar, Relone lunged forward at T.J. On an impulse, Judith jumped forward. She had meant to kick him in the shin, but she tripped over her own feet and instead fell into him, knocking them both to the ground.

The other cadets wasted no time in acting. They jumped forward, attacking T.J. fiercely, who immediately fought back.

Judith sat up, dazed, and realized she was on top of Relone. He was staring at her in surprise, but his expression was quickly changing to anger. More out of fear than anything else, Judith began punching him in the face. She managed to break his nose, before he grabbed her wrists and threw her off of him, onto the hard ground. She jumped to her feet, and looked at T.J. He was fairing pretty well, considering it was six to one.

Relone got to his feet, wiping the blood from his face as his nose healed itself. "You'll pay for that, Root." He snarled, raising a fist.

Judith closed her eyes, bracing herself for impact. She waited. It didn't come. She opened her eyes, and saw that all eight boys were staring at Professor Redwood, who had just immerged from a building. He did not look happy.

"D'Arvit." She breathed.

(1) Okay, I know what you're thinking. But lets get one thing straight; T.J. and Judith are _friends_. Nothing more. And, if you don't believe me, the Epilog of Family Secrets explains why.

A/N: Okay, I hoped you liked this chapter. Sorry its short. Next one will be loads longer, promise! At least five pages! Review!


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